Michael Parkinson's enduring marriage and selfless act for beloved wife's health

17 August 2023 , 10:12

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Michael Parkinson's enduring marriage and selfless act for beloved wife's health

Sir Michael Parkinson has died peacefully at the age of 88 after suffering from a short illness, his family has confirmed.

While he is best known as one of the most celebrated broadcasters and journalists, Michael was a family man through-and-through and is survived by his three sons, eight grandchildren, and beloved wife, Mary, whom he was married to for more than 60 years.

Just eight years after receiving the all-clear following treatment for prostate cancer, it was announced on Thursday that he had "passed away peacefully at home", surrounded by those that loved him.

Michael, from Cudworth, West Riding of Yorkshire, married wife Mary Agnes Heneghan, from Doncaster, on August 22, 1959. The couple, who were just days away from celebrating their 64th wedding anniversary, reportedly met on the top of a double-deck bus in her home town and shared an 'unbreakable bond' ever since.

Chat show host Michael Parkinson receives a kiss from his wife Mary after being awarded CBE at Buckingham Palace Friday 24th November 2000 (Press Association)

Also a journalist, under her new married name, Mary Parkinson presented the Thames TV daytime show, Good Afternoon, before briefly presenting for her husband's own show, Parkinson, in the 1970s. The pair went on to have three children - Andrew in 1960, Nicholas in 1964, and Michael Jr in 1967.

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It is unknown what the couple's sons do for a living but in a 2018 Guardian article, Michael confirmed they had eight grandchildren and all live close by. "We are a close, loving family. I have three sons: Michael lives next door and Nick and Andrew live a few miles away," he said.

Sir Michael and Mary married in 1959 (PA)

As for his relationship with Mary, Michael had no specific words of wisdom to share on the secret to their long-lasting union. Instead, he described it as "one of the great mysteries" in his life. "If you ask Mary how that has happened, she doesn't know either, but I can't imagine life without her," he admitted. "Of course every family has its ups and downs but nothing is going to break the bonds between us."

Following the birth of Michael Jr, Michael campaigned in support of birth control in the 1970s, and in 1972, took on a progressive sacrifice when he underwent a vasectomy in the first year the procedure was invented so that Mary no longer had to take the pill. He shared the news in the UK's first edition of Cosmopolitan under the headline, "The most beautiful thing a man can do for a woman".

They shared three sons together (John Curtis/REX/Shutterstock)

The secret to their strong union was one of his "life's great mysteries" (Mirrorpix)

It seems that Michael's bold move encouraged other men to do the same, with surgeon John Guillebaud crediting the journalist for breaking the taboo. "There is no doubt that Michael Parkinson saying what he did caused a huge boost," he later said.

Speaking in the Times, Michael said he wanted to drive forward a conversation about the once controverial topic. "At that time the operation was not talked about and the ignorance among men particularly was remarkable," he said. "Maybe my 'confession' helped dismiss the notion prevalent in those days that a vasectomy equalled a sex change or, at the very least, emasculation. They were interesting times."

Among those paying tribute to the TV legend today was the BBC's director-general Tim Davie, who hailed Parkinson as "the king of the chat show" and an "incredible broadcaster and journalist". He said: "Michael was the king of the chat show and he defined the format for all the presenters and shows that followed.

"He interviewed the biggest stars of the 20th century and did so in a way that enthralled the public. Michael was not only brilliant at asking questions, he was also a wonderful listener. Michael was truly one of a kind, an incredible broadcaster and journalist who will be hugely missed."

His family confirmed the sad news in a heartbreaking statement: "After a brief illness Sir Michael Parkinson passed away peacefully at home last night in the company of his family. The family request that they are given privacy and time to grieve."

Saffron Otter